Have Traditional Heart Failure Management Programs Reached Their “Use by” Date? Time to Apply More Nuanced Care

Purpose of Review: To determine the current evidence supporting the otherwise proven heart failure management programs (HFMPs) in the setting of an increasingly older and more complex patient population. Recent Findings: Attempts to replace proven face-to-face, multidisciplinary management of HF with remote management techniques (including telemedicine and implantable remote monitoring devices) have yielded mixed results. This may well reflect the clinical cascade effect of greater surveillance paradoxically leading to worse health outcomes as well as a narrow focus on HF alone in patients with clinically significant multimorbidity. Concurrently, there is preliminary evidence that the increasing phenomenon of HF and multimorbidity in older patients is undermining the otherwise positive impact of “traditional” HFMPs. Summary: A more nuanced approach to determining who would benefit from what form of HF management, including the integration of remote surveillance techniques, is required.